


The Darkner

by MiscWorker



Category: Deltarune (Video Game), Furry (Fandom), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-01 08:41:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18332567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiscWorker/pseuds/MiscWorker
Summary: A troubled human soul of an alternate timeline finds himself in the Dark World after years of isolation and loneliness underground.For some scrub named Patryk. You can ask for more if you're interested, this is mostly me experimenting.





	The Darkner

**Author's Note:**

> Please do not comment and point out anything that you think is wrong with the story's accuracy in relation to the game unless it's something that misses an actual canonical fact, that I would appreciate. Undertale and Deltarune are full of theories and nothing is entirely confirmed. I don't count external sources to support the game's story. Besides, I'd still want to put my own spin on things. Also, I'm experimenting with erotica. I'm open to criticism.

  
  
  
  


The

Darkner

_____________________________

Based on  _ Deltarune _ by Toby Fox

 

For some person named Patryk

 

By Miscellaneous Worker

 When I first discovered the existence of the Dark World, my life was taken over by the desperate search for its entrance. It was a realm not underneath the Surface, not deeper than the Underground- it was a realm beyond us in another dimension yet within Earth, and, lo and behold, I saw the answers to life and balance.

 It seemed that humanity was a curse; the humans were the real monsters. To think that we could see ourselves as high and powerful with the strength of our souls, only to fall to every one of them like the pathetic…  _ things  _ we are. I refuse to call us anything alive after seeing how heartless we were. Yet, even after seeing the war end in such shameful defeat, I still can only wonder…  _ how _ ?

 It feels as though all of logic fell short one day. A human soul outweighs that of a monster’s by an extraordinary amount, yet, when I rode into battle against an army of monsters led by a kingly goat who flaunted a seemingly friendly presence, I was struck down by his trident in the swiftest and mightiest of attacks. It was something that could never come from raw strength or size, or even passion; it was his soul overpowering mine, so sure of its fate and destiny. It was not determination… it felt  _ predetermined _ .

 Some other force took over logic that war, but now it will never matter. Whatever it was that force did, it allowed the monsters to win the war. I never wanted the war. I had friends who were monsters, but I never considered them as such. They were just  _ friends _ … People, beings with souls that meant just as much as mine did. Was it fair to do what we did? If we really did underestimate the power of a monster’s soul, then everything would have been fine.

 There’s so much to wonder, so much to ask, so much to cry for… But, no matter. I now just wish to no longer be human, or at least called one, not that I have seen anyone in years since I went into hiding beneath Mount Ebott. Since then, I’ve heard noises of monsters from above: it sounds as though they have built a town full of homes and shops, roads since I hear cars drive back and forth, and a school where kids come out in cries of enjoyment every afternoon. Without us, they built a society. They boasted just as much humanity as any of us humans. Perhaps more.

 Now, I was the monster.

 But the Dark World presented a new opportunity to me, or so I hoped. I discovered it to be a realm of neither humans nor monsters. It was exactly what I desired: a new start; a chance to to escape the reality I separate myself from; an opportunity to free myself of the sin written all over my body and mind. It was only a matter of question as to where the entrance was, if it even existed. I cautiously traveled the Surface in search of it, and very much more investigated the Underground where I felt safe. So much time wasted for nothing… Eventually I thought that it may have been for the best that I did not present myself to anyone. I had no pride in what I was, and to shamelessly spread my evil would solve nothing.

 Years passed, and my hope turned frail. I do not know what I was hoping for though; an Angel to save me of this guilt and self loathing, or death to take me from Earth and to the heavens beyond? Literally anything would please me. Then one day, I sensed something- a shift in the world’s balance. It was as simple as a sudden recollection but as complex as the hearts of fate beating as one; the knave plays a trick for the throne, the queen disappears, and the king’s heart breaks; a new face appears but stays hidden in the shadows.

 And then, I awoke in the Dark World.

 The Dark World… is, well,  _ dark _ . But the concept of darkness as an evil shadow that takes the goodness and innocence was lacking here- instead, the darkness was a natural half of life, with the light complimenting it on the opposite side. The magically vibrant world pulsed with a wholesome feeling the way the sun soothes my skin with its rays. Having not been on the surface in years, I was touched, like my mother was still alive, giving me a long awaited hug of warmth.

 Immediately, I noticed I was dressed differently: before, I was wearing the scraped armor and torn rags of my military suit of war, but now I was dressed in a jester’s attire that looked at first ugly but then suitable to my tastes. In a rather bland but senseful duo of black and purple, a jester hat which jingled playfully covered my hair, along with a long sleeve suit, mittens and mysterious cloak. On the opposite end of the spectrum of distasteful color combinations was a mix of lime green and dirty yellow, fluffing my collar ruff brightly as it made my shoes look ugly. While it was such a chaotic dress to wear altogether, it was very endearing to see myself in something that looked so new yet fitting for reasons unknown.

 And in this lightless world, I stuck out what like what might be a sore thumb for some, but blended in like another usual brush on a canvas for others. It was a pleasant, what are the words… a pleasant chaos.

 But I was frightened. This was another dimension of Earth- what lingered here in the shadows that would serve me a new purpose? Humans? Monsters? Or would it be something far more otherworldly than I could imagine? I did not care, for I hoped that, of all things, I would simply not be judged for only being a human.

 I looked around as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. The dust-like soil was murky and peculiar, and there were holes along the cliffs above and below me. Some seemed to be leaking of a strange oil substance, though most were dry. The world boomed with a steady vibration, coming from somewhere not too far away. For all I knew, this world could have been within a cave, for there was an echo for every step and action I made.

 I wandered down the path the cliffs led me into, smiling a fearful smile for what comes next, when suddenly when I reached what looked to be the end, I slipped on an abundance of soil and skidded down a hill, tossing me over several times with a few dozen screams all the way through. When I finally landed on a solid surface, my body flipped and my head hit the ground with a thump.

 

 I awoke once more to the sound of someone speaking. It was a lovely charm to hear, full of genuine concern and worry, and my vision corrected itself to show what I almost considered a monster but then saw something… Well, different.

 “Sir?.. Can you feel your head at all?”

 “Goodness, thankfully I do,” my voice came out sounding broken with neglect. It had been so long that I spoke without someone to say anything to.

 “You slipped from this hillslide here, didn’t you? I always worry that someone will hurt themselves bad here.”

 I looked upon the friendly voice’s source, and I marveled with interest. He was no human nor a monster- he was a being unique to the Dark World, with an individuality presented in a subtle demeanor that he unknowingly had. Compared to my World of Light, he seemed like an inverse: he was clothed in almost all of a pastel green shade, from his pointed that hid his tiny horns and up and down his nightgown-ish looking choice of robes which boasted a black heart, where his arms hid under a mantle. A bright magenta scarf that looked quite comfortable wrapped around his neck and hid a bit of his mouth. He looked at me in the same curious expression I did, his eyes darting up and down me under his white, circular glasses and his short snout slightly flaring as his teeth bit down on his scarf. He reminded me of a particular genus of monsters which were goat-like humanoids, but something was off that made me think otherwise- partly because he was short compared to the ones I have seen, but looked too old to call a child.

 His eyes lit up when he blinked, and it was hard to tell what color they were with the black color of his fur blanketed by so much brightness by both his clothes and the brightness of his pupils, throwing my perception of contrast off- they could have been pure white, silver, or even a light red. Regardless of what they were, his eyes were wonderfully inviting, and the stare was enough to pull me back up onto my feet to properly greet him.

 “Is this the Dark World?” I first asked.

 “It is indeed- how did you get here?” he said in a feminine voice. It sounded unusually joyful for someone who just found a person unconscious.

 “It is hard to remember… The days all merged together as one after a while… I could have been sleeping, perhaps dying… I could have been doing anything. It was just suddenly here, awaking from a deep sleep. In fact, I would say it was a nightmare I had been sleeping through for years- please, let this be my freedom.”

 He still stared with the same countenance of wonder, but it then shifted into realization as he asked, “You are a Lightner, aren’t you?”

 “A Lightner?”

 “Oh, excuse me, uh… Sorry, I should probably introduce myself first,” he pulled on his hat and put a paw out, “I’m Ralsei, and you are..?”

 “You can call me anything but… just ‘Lightner’ if you prefer.”

 “Oh… Well, ‘Lightner’, what are you trying to hide of your past then?” He shook my hand, but his paw was so small that it was more of me shaking it for him.

 “There were a lot of mistakes my kind made, and the guilt has penetrated me in all ends of my soul. I seek a new life, away from it all.”

 “You are a monster then?” he asked, “You do not look like what the books show.”

 “No, I’m a human.”

 “ _ Oh _ .” He hunched over and examined me again, and said, “It is hard to tell.” My soul shriveled up in self hatred for a moment, but then he added, “I have never seen any myself,” raising my hopes once more.

 “You live in this world,” I said, looking down at myself, “Tell me: Why am I wearing this? I certainly wasn’t before I arrived here.”

 “I wish I could say, Lightner. The division between the Dark and Light Worlds is something even we do not understand. Maybe it’s a reality entirely different, and only so much can carry over from your own world… But, here, we Darkners like to believe that our appearance very much compliments who we are, like it should!”

 “We do the same ourselves.”

 “Maybe not to the same degree then? I don’t know. I’m not a mathematician.”

 “What-?”

 “Oh, goodness, I’m so sorry. I’ve been so rude. Your head must hurt, and you must be so confused here! Come along, we can go to my castle.”

 “Castle?”

 He led me down the path and left towards a bizarre town that left my eyes sore from the distorted way things took shape, and, while it simply made no sense, it existed, so it  _ must _ have. In the distance, a dim light erupted past a castle, traveling endlessly into the abyss that sheltered the world- I pondered over such a sight, and I believed that it may be the sun of their world. Ralsei said he spent days deciding the name for: “Castle Town”.

 “Why Castle Town?” I asked.

 “Because there is a castle in the town. Is it dumb? Please tell me if it is.”

 “It’s definitely a name, to say the least.”

 Since everywhere was so… Well dark, of course, it made me very quickly find an appreciation for what looked to have color and light. If this world was more reliant on appearance for any intended meaning, then I will thank it for showing me a reason to love the light once again… something I have been afraid of since I went into hiding.

 Ralsei intrigued me for his attitude and movement, swaying fluidly in every step and turn as we walked to the castle and he proudly invited me in- they spoke a whole life story and genuine personality that few people could convey without keeping it subtle. Even with the everlasting shadow that blanketed his face and body, the wholesome texture that crawled across his fur made it look too soft to not ignore. The loneliness brought a great desire for anything of a soul, and to be in the presence of someone such as this, whether or not he was evil, made my skin tickle.

 It seemed as though he was just as excited to be in my presence as well; he said that he had not had a visitor in a “very,  _ very _ long time,” and that he wanted to bake a cake for my arrival. I did not want to bother him too much for any hospitality, but my ears rang at the sound of cake and I immediately took his offer. He took me to the castle’s great chamber and insisted I enjoyed myself, leaving me to where I presumed were the kitchens elsewhere in the castle.

 Suddenly, I wondered why things were so quiet; it was something I was used to from being alone, but here it was eerie. No servants, no citizens, no guards… What was this person, Ralsei, doing here alone? If he was a king, he had no subjects to tend to. Surely, he was not the king of the Dark World… Not somebody as short and, dare I say it, fluffy as him.

 I sat in the only chair there was to sit in, watching the fire crackle in an unusually blue light; no cinders were born of the fire, and I realized that it was a magical flame. The lack of other seats in the room made my company feel oddly invasive, so indulged myself with the thousand books that lined the wall’s shelves. Really, I was full of ecstasy for what I was doing, yet I was fearful enough to be wary of even touch the books at first. There were ones that were covered in years worth of dust, and others that looked to have only been recently put away, so I picked and skimmed the latter books and soon discovered a history of both mine and this world that opened not my eyes, but the lost desire of knowledge that once drove my soul’s determination.

 I was so focused on my reading that my body jumped with a jingle of my bells when Ralsei entered the room with drinks on a tray. “What are you reading?”

 “Ehrm… Sorry, uh-  _ Endeavours in the Light World _ .”

 “Ah, I love that one. How accurate is it really, though? All we can do is imagine what it is like in your world.”

 “This is fiction? I thought it was a history book like the others.”

 “What? No. The Light World has been sealed off from us for so long now. There’s nobody old enough to recall those days… At least, nobody that cares to write of them. Only the Four Kings remain to tell the tales, as far as I know.”

 “Unfortunate… Wait, my world is the Light World you speak of?”

 “You call yourself a human, so I assume that is where you come from. Come sit and have some cocoa, and I’ll tell you a story of Earth’s balance, Mr. Lightner.” He smiled cheerfully, shuffling over in a longer pair of robes he had changed into and offered me a mug of hot cocoa. I immediately took it and burnt my tongue as I slurped a mouthful of it, my chest filling with a fiery warmth that hurt so good, because it was  _ delicious _ . I looked up from my mug to see Ralsei glare concernedly, and I took a hot breath and smiled to assure I was just fine.

 He insisted I sat in the “guest chair” while he crouched on the carpet and told me a tale of balance between two worlds yet one Earth. Everything of it, from his voice of charm to the words of ancient made me smile and giggle with an assortment of feelings. The history of Lightners and Darkners: it made me hope, it made me dream. It inspired me to make me think that, no matter how bad of a person I may have thought I was, I still served a whole world I didn’t even know existed a purpose by being a Lightner… It proved that there was a value in every soul there was, no matter how easily it may be taken or lost.

 I was concerned of Ralsei’s description of the purposes though, for he said, “The Darkners’ purpose is to serve your kind- the Lightners- for it is all what truly fulfills us.”

 It left me perplexed, and I asked, “But what do the Lightners do for you in return?”

 “What do you mean?”

 “Is there any purpose you give the Lightners?”

 “Why, of course. If it was not for us, there would be no balance to be created… No meaning to give to light. It is like good and evil: what is one without the other? Right?”

 “You could say the same for you Darkners, though: without the light, what is dark? How could you have the Lightners have such greater power to seal you all off into this world, and then still say you give them purpose?”

 Ralsei quivered, and he looked down at his cup unsurely. “Mister, some things exist because it just so happens to be that way. You wouldn’t argue with the laws of physics, would you? In the same way, we Darkners would not argue with the power of the Lightners.” His eyes widened, “And, Mister, we have only recently acquainted, but I must ask you… Do you feel it too?”

 “Feel what?”

 “The feeling that logic isn’t right?.. The balance in Light and Dark is not a lie, but is an anomaly in the nature of righteousness. Yet, we’ve stood by it for so long, and, having never seen a Lightner myself, I just expected it all to be true… This feeling… I haven’t had in a long time. It feels wrong, like questioning logic itself.”

 My chest turned cold, and I took another drink to return the warmth I desperately lived for.

 “Ralsay-”

 “Ral- _ sei _ , Mister,” he corrected me.

 “Excuse me… Ralsei, the Lightners were both monsters and humans, is that correct?”

 “Anyone from the Light World, yes.”

 “... There is something you should know.” I told him of the war and the underestimation the humans made of the strength of a monster’s soul, and how we were almost entirely killed off by them because of our ridiculous fear that they would rise against us with the power of our own souls. His face turned more and more dread in discovery as I went on, almost as if he would suddenly burst into tears. He shivered at my words, and eventually asked me to stop, for the knowledge was too discomforting for him.

 “The Lightners,” he said in a crackling whimper, “They have divided, thus weakening themselves?.. How could this happen? How are you here now?”

 “I was alone, hiding in the Underground for so many years. I must say, I… I’m so grateful to be here. To talk to another about anything at all, and, more than anything, to  _ learn _ of this world. My mind is forever scarred not by the war, but by the loneliness that surrounded me like a rope that would eternally constrict itself around me more and more each day… What brought me here, though? Is there a meaning to all this madness, all of this lack of  _ logic _ ?”

 Ralsei looked only as lost and confused as he bit down on his scarf, but then he chuckled to himself and grew a smile that could conquer the whole Earth in just its sheer innocence. He took off his hat and jiggled his head, proving my assumption that those were small, stubby horns under his hat true.

 He wondered aloud, “The whole Earth is full of a lot more figurative meaning that we take for granted, you know? Especially here in the Dark World… You know, the Darkners considered the Lightners to be their creators, almost as their gods, as some said. The Lightners deemed themselves to be ‘too realistic’ for our ways, but that was just alright. Logic might just be too strict of guidelines to follow anyway. For all we know, it could have been a long nightmare you were sleeping through, and when you awoke, you just forgot you belonged here… It- It’s probably all wrong, but it was a nightmare in some way, yes? And, now that you are free of it… Why, you can do anything! It’s great!”

 I smiled and couldn’t stop. My cheeks began to hurt, and I drank the last of my cocoa and still couldn’t stop. I stared at him and he smiled also, but only because of my countenance. Then, I began to childishly giggle, and quickly it escalated into a full belly laugh that took me off my feet and sent me into a circle around the room, holding my sides then waving my hands around. My head was spinning, but the world spun with it, so I knew I wasn’t crazy. I just knew what it meant to be free, at last! It filled my lungs with a new air that drugged my body with an energy I had never felt before!

 I settled down, my face red with embarrassment and enthusiasm, and sat down before Ralsei once more; he covered his face with his hat and laughed in embarrassment himself, whether it was from the strange stare we once again traded or the odd dance I suddenly performed, and he returned it to his head. He was still blushing anyway, and he stood up as he pulled his scarf higher up over his mouth.

 “Mr. Lightner, you must be exhausted- well, I am, at least. It was a lovely talk. Would you like a place to sleep?”

 “Such as in a bed? I would be happier than I am now, if that was even possible… But, er, how do you Darkners tell the time here? Is it night now and there are no stars out, or-”

 “No, no, it’s always this dark. Everyone is just usually on different schedules.”

 “That doesn’t sound so very organized.”

 “It… Well, it does stink.”

 

 A well needed rest in a real bed reinvigorated my body to measures I never thought to feel again; the only thing that distracted me from this new world was the attire I looked down to see on myself, which now lost the novelty charm and was just ridiculous to wear. In no way did I feel attached to it, nor did I ever think I would be, so I asked Ralsei if he had anything I could wear that would be less demeaning of myself.

 “I actually think it looks cute on you,” he said, “And maybe it means something that you woke up here as a jester. You must have been a funny person in your world!”

 “Amusing… but, no.”

 He showed me around the castle in a tour, which was not the largest but he seemed very proud to own it. I asked him if he was a lord of this town, but he told me this kingdom had no current leader, as shown by the vacant throne in the great hall. The castle was quite small though, so I assumed there was no real power to be had anyway.

 Instead of maybe giving me a hand me down of one of his minty green robes that I assumed he had a full wardrobe of, he once again insisted on giving his all and instead chose to knit me a robe, which he did in the same color as my current dress. His everlasting hospitality reminded me of the unnerving silence that filled the empty air of the castle, let alone what looked like the entire town.

 He asked if I knew how to make clothing, which I said I was rubbish with, and sat with me as he knitted my robe in his bedroom. His room was not very reflective in his personality, at least I could not gather anything of it from its contents; it was the highest room in the castle, which only said so much with the castle’s small size. Four large paintings lined one wall, each depicting who Ralsei said were the kings of the Dark World, who worked together in harmony. They all varied in appearance greatly, so it was safe to say that Darkners varied more than just goat people such as him.

 His bed was enormous for his size, and his feet hanged off the bed in a humble sway as he knit at a steady pace. From the moment we met, he looked content, but it was portrayed as a mask of another desire that made me wonder what he really felt.

 “Ralsei.”

 “Hm?” He didn’t look up, but his nose twitched at my voice.

 “Where is everyone?”

 “Huh?”

 “I mean, where are the other Darkners? If the, what was it, Fountain of Darkness here is so important, than how are there no others around? I would think that such a instrument of power would be more protected.”

 “Well, I didn’t tell you everything there was about this world, Mister. There is no need to worry about protecting the Fountain- the legend of the Delta Rune tells us Darkners that only the power of a human soul can close it.”

 He looked up at me for a moment, then resumed knitting, saying, “And I would hope I can trust you, of course…”

 “I can only imagine how disastrous doing such a thing would be.”

  He laughed, “No. You can’t.”

 “Fine, fine, fair enough. Still, where are the people here? Why are you all alone here?”

 He glanced once more, but held his stare as he put his needle down and sighed, “You recall our conversation before we slumbered, right? About logic turning frail, and things being as they are because it just turns out that way? Take that and apply it to my own situation. I remember my life, but it only seemed to start when one day I woke up and just knew who I was: Ralsei, the Prince of the Kingdom of Darkness, and my duty was and still is to watch over the Fountain of Darkness.

 “History is true, and my memories do not seem to lie… I did name this town ‘Castle Town’, for example. I just know I did, but… Things were just, suddenly like this. Like the Lightners really were our gods and manipulated our memories and world into being a certain way… And, of all the things I could have not remembered, it is why this Kingdom of Darkness is barren.

 “But do not be mistaken. Darkners of various games and regions alike live among this Kingdom’s limits. If you ever get bored of me, then you can go right down that road there… There’s more interesting people there, I promise.”

 “Oh, don’t make me pity you. Even if you wanted me dead, I would still be terribly interested in you.”

 “But I don’t, so, that’s better, right?” He smiled and raised his brow confidently, though it just came off as silly. He said, “I should mention, I’m a strong pacifist.”

 “Is that so?”

 “Yes! Here in this world, nobody needs to fight… Anywhere, nobody has to, but apparently that didn’t stay in your world so well… Mister, why didn’t you know about the Lightners? Did anyone in your world know what you people were?”

 “Never did I think we were anything but, well, humans. As for the monsters, unless there was something we didn’t know about. The tension between us had been building for a while, so I wouldn’t have been surprised.”

 “That’s terrible… But, if you don’t mind telling, how did you feel about monsters yourself?”

 “I was indifferent about them. I grew up with them, so I just couldn’t hate them at all. But, let me tell you, Ralsei: I was in the frontline against those monsters, a few of whom I recognized. I rode in on my horse, sword in hand, and their king- an goat three times my size- struck me off my steed and I crashed onto the ground with a shattered hope that I thought would protect me.

 “When I saw you, I remembered that king, and my heart had stopped for a moment, but I was revived with relief when I realized you were instead a loveable friend of a world entirely different from mine, so surely there was nothing to fear of you.”

 His face turned red and he hid his smile, “That makes me so happy to hear then, especially to know you find me loveable, hehe… You probably already noticed then that, being alone here, I’m fascinated with your visit. It’s like an angel brought you here for me, really.”

 “Heh… Please though, don’t glorify me to be anyone special.”

 “Oh, but that’s just  _ rubbish _ , Mister. You can’t see me to be anything special just because I’m new but deny any similar feelings I have for you. We’re both in good company, or so I hope.”

 He returned his focus to his knitting while mine traveled to his black, paw-like hands then to his face again. I had not looked so closely before, but his eyes were a beautiful gaze upon anything he looked at, full of an uncertainty that proved the innocence of his thoughts and desires. It may have been very bias to have such thoughts of my own, but the limitless appeal in his appearance was delicious, as if I was so desperate to be interested in someone,  _ something _ , that it wouldn’t matter who they were.

 But, even in the case that I was able to live a socially sane life after the war, I would still find myself in awe to be in his presence, for he would still be a Darkner in this Dark World, and that’s just amazing! That aside, there was something else of him that drew me in ever so slowly but steadily, and I was almost embarrassed to even think of it: his fur. It might have been like the usual fur of almost any other animal, but the forever enclosing ambience of the Dark World surrounding us was somehow brightened by his body, despite the darkness that clearly took away his fur’s color.

 Ralsei caught my daydreaming stare, and he said with a pull of the thread, “You have really intense eyes.”

 “Intense?”

 “Oh, I didn’t mean to be rude…”

 “No, no, go on.”

 “Well, they’re like… Chaotic, almost. You like to stare a lot, I’ve noticed.”

 “It’s hard not to, if I have to really excuse myself of it… But, Ralsei,” I inched towards him and put my hand down over his work, which made him scrunch up slightly and look up and down at me.

 “Aren’t you lonely here, all by yourself?” I asked, “I don’t know what you’ve really been doing with your life, but it can’t be pleasant to be all alone.”

 He was still in thought, like he wanted to say something else to change the topic, but then he sighed and placed his hand over mine, “I don’t remember ever leaving this Kingdom, and nobody ever comes here to visit… Actually, I have to be honest: I’ve never even seen another Darkner. For all I know, everything I’ve read from these books could be a lie, and all of the knowledge I was seemingly born with is false…

 “In fact, I thought you were someone I had been waiting for, but you came here alone. I mean, I might not  _ really _ have to wait for them. ‘Course, all I can do is assume I am  _ the  _ Prince of Darkness of the Prophecy… Otherwise, I don’t know. Prophecies are weird.”

 “Right, like you told me yesterday… It doesn’t sound realistic though, considering-”

 “Yes, yes, because of the war. I understand. What am I even doing here then? What’s the point?.. If the danger of this world is another fountain opening up, I would see it myself, but that is yet to happen. For all I know, I have no purpose.”

 “Surely you do, you said it yourself the Lightners give Darkners purpose.”

 “But then what are the Lightners doing now?!” He lowered his head and hid himself under his hat, “I’m sorry, but… It’s not like I haven’t thought about this before myself. Being able to talk about it now with someone takes a lot off myself, but it doesn’t relieve me like I’d need it to.”

 His face brightened in unease, and finally his subtle expression of happiness faded. I didn’t want to pity him, but my heart took the best of me, and I moved my arm around him and took him in for a hug. His body stiffened; he didn’t seem to know how to react. His warmth was never ending. I refused to let go, even strengthening my grasp on him, and he finally wrapped his arms around me and rested his head over my shoulder. He looked almost as if he would cry, but he managed himself, instead tightening his hold over me like I did to him.

 “Oh, Lightner,” he said, his snout sitting against my neck, “There must be a name I can call you by.”

 “I don’t want to think of myself as anything I previously was- to be called a Lightner is enough, I promise you.”

 “Well please, Lightner-” He paused, and he lightly laughed, his warm breath crossing my neck, “Please, don’t let go, and we can give each other purpose.” Then I realized that, even if he never said that, I didn’t want to either. Yet, in only a few seconds, he quickly pulled away and said, “Oh, we never had that cake I made! Come on, you’ll like it!”

 It was indeed delicious.

 

 A day’s time went by as we talked yet even more, learning about each other’s worlds; it was contradictory to my original intention of putting my past behind me, but it was hard to not teach someone of where you came from as much as they taught you. After I slept, another day passed- and several more. Without a word exchanged between us about it, I apparently had become Ralsei’s new friend to stay.

 It was a ticklish and electric feeling to be so content; a friendship seemed to be all I desired, of all the things there were. It was not for knowledge nor power- just the simple need for one’s presence and companionship. Yet, despite this enjoyment, I was curious of the rest of the Dark World- Ralsei brought me to the exit of the Kingdom, which was a tall, golden door that made it seem I would either be leaving heaven or perhaps entering it. He said that I could go on anytime I wished, but I told him I did not wish to ever leave him, especially if it would return him to his lonesome life once more.

 The curiosity was more than wanting to know what the rest of the Dark World was- it was  _ why _ I was not more willing to leave for it. Of course, there is Ralsei, but I know myself well, and the door to what could be wonders and beyond did not taunt me as it should have. It could have been as simple as me being so unfamiliar with satisfaction that I always forgot I already was happy.

 I’m not sure if I would call it an expense, but something came with being around Ralsei almost every waking moment: as someone who marveled at him mostly for his existence, I grew obsessed with him, wanting to indulge myself into every part of his life. He did not mind any degree of interest I gave him and was happy that I was overjoyed to be his friend.

 I do not exaggerate my obsession: once he finished my robe, I stitched a heart to it myself, just like the one his robes boast, and I asked him to make me a hat and scarf of similar likeness to his. As with everything else, he did so with delight, and he was followed by a human mirror of him throughout the castle from then on. I asked him once if I could brush and groom the fur along his head, and that turned into a routine before slumber.

 One night, we both sat on his bed in his quarters, him facing away while I felt through his abundance of beautiful fur with a brush. It extraordinarily soft but firm, and as magical as the spells and prayers he tried to teach me.

 “Lightner?” he asked, his eyes closed.

 “Yes?”

 “How long have you been here now?”

 “Oh, I’ve lost count. Time no longer feels to exist, without a sun or moon to judge me.”

 “I don’t remember either… But, I know it hasn’t been  _ that _ long. I think it has been a little less than a month.”

 “So you Darkners  _ do _ use calendars, or at least something.”

 “It’s still a mess to keep track of. Anyways, I wanted to say that I’m surprised at how close we’ve become, in such a short timeframe, at least.”

 I thought to myself with the brush’s pace, and I responded, “I’m not surprised.”

 “How come?”

 “I don’t see myself not befriending you in any scenario. Are you sure you are the Prince of Darkness, Ralsei? In fact, are you even sure you are native of this world? All I see of you is a bright ray of light in this sunless realm, and my heart is ever so warm in your company.”

 He smiled and looked down, “That’s a little cheesy, but cute.”

 I put the brush down and put my arms in front of him, letting him lean back against me. “Goodness, anything for you. I thought my life was over for years, perhaps decades- the whole frame has shattered where I didn’t recognize myself, even in this world. I would say it was you who rejuvenated my youth and willpower all those years in silence, waiting for me to one day wake up in this world.”

 “If that were true, I wouldn’t have let you suffered so much, though,” he said, “So it surely wasn’t me.”

 “Fair enough,” I played with his ears and said, “Do you know what would be nice?”

 “I think I can guess.”

 “Then guess.”

 “Sleeping together?”

 “How did you know?” I laughed.

 “I was thinking of it too, laying back against you like this.”

 “Let’s?”

 “Let’s.”

 And so we took each other in arms and blanketed ourselves in comfort, embracing each other’s physical closeness. I spooned against him, and my heartbeat slowly drumming in sync with his under my hand was the most soothing lullaby the body would feel but the ears couldn’t hear. Gracious- his short tail was up against me and would gently wiggle. It was enticing, but I resisted for the sake of his innocence. It seemed wrong, so I stopped myself from going any further, only giving him kisses on the head and ear.

 It was such a pleasant share of warmths between us that we continued to sleep together every time we slumbered, each next rest becoming more intimate than the previous. I would wake up to find myself chewing on his fur, or nomming on one of his ears, which he either didn’t notice or didn’t mind. As for him, he would hold my arm as it wrapped around him, his one hand’s fingers crossed with mine.

 My discipline was strong, but the temptation still crept up on me ever so slowly, spreading to every part of my body as it reacted more desirably towards him. I questioned myself if he felt the same- if he did, he was masterful at hiding those emotions. That is, those of romantic affection. He was still just as intimate towards me, I just wondered where it was that came from.

 Eventually, I couldn’t resist- the hugs, the endless care and consideration, and the fur it was so easy to form a fetish for… My desire took the best of me, and I knew I had fallen for the Darkner, but I was shamefully shy to admit it for so long. Finally, one night, I took it upon me to reveal that desire to him, while we were together in bed and I was holding him against me.

 We were both quiet, but neither of us were asleep. In fact, I felt that even he was wide awake, especially as I groped his ear with one hand and felt his chest with the other. His robes were all that separated us from embracing our love fully, but I had to confess my love first.

 “Ralsei?” I started.

 “Mhm?”

 “Do you know how much you really mean to me?”

 “I can guess, but I’d like to hear it from you.” He nuzzled himself closer against me in response.

 “Well,” I said, “I imagine that, in my world, there was a loss of innocence, at least across humans. I feared losing my innocence more than anything, honestly. I never wanted to be curious or wonder of what was beyond my world, because all it did as I learned more of anything was remind me of how terrible my life had turned into. It was a search for knowledge that once gained only hurt me more, you see?

 “So when I came here and met you, and found you to be the most innocent, loving-” I sighed, strengthening my hold over him in both fear and love, “- the most  _ content _ person I believe I could ever find. I don’t have to see the rest of this world to prove it. I  _ know _ you are the one, the pinnacle of perfection, at least for all that I desire. Ralsei, I love you, with not just all my heart but all my soul.”

 He was quiet, and I felt that silence picking at my soul. After a moment, he laughed to himself, “A Lightner loving me… Oh my.”

 “What? Is that bad?”

 “No! I just think it’s…” He covered his face as it brightened red, and I nudged him to turn over towards me. He moved his hands down with a sheepish smile, and I set my nose on his snout and copied his smile.

 “Look at you, in love with a Lightner,” I said.

 “I didn’t say I am!”

 “So you’re not?”

 “... Look, you already got me, you don’t have to rub it in.”

 I giggled, “I just wanted to hear you say it.”

 “But, I don’t know if it’s the same feelings you’re having. I’m just not familiar with them, while you probably are… Whatever they are, they’ve been making me feel so weird around you… I kinda like it though.”

 “Do you need me to confirm them for you then?”

 “Huh? I-” His words came to a halt as my mouth clasped over his in a kiss; his eyes widened in shock, but I wouldn’t know what any other expressions he made after I closed my eyes. All I know is that his mouth squinched in confusion, his hand moved along my face like it wanted to push me away, then he became relaxed. I opened my eyes, and his were closed in delightful acceptance.

 And then he kissed me, and I kissed him, and we continued to exchange without thoughts of anything but love. I groped his head all over, his fur turning hot like his breath, and I turned myself over onto him and pinned him on the bed, his head scrunching down into his robe as his eyes widened again, only this time in excitement and fondness.

 “Lightner, I…” He couldn’t find his words while smooched his neck. Slowly, I my hand went along leg from his ankle, under his robe- then his legs closed in a snap with my hand between them, and he cried, “What is this? Is this right, Lightner?”

 “Why wouldn’t it be?”

 “The love between a Darkner and a Lightner… Is that ever meant to happen?”

 “Oh, shush, Ralsei-” I opened his legs and felt his thigh, rubbing it amorously, “Don’t try to think about it so much. Just enjoy it.”

 “Ahh… Okay… I trust you, Lightner.”

 “Now, take off your robe for me.”

 “C-Can I keep it on, please?”

 “It’s fine. I just thought you wouldn’t want to ruin it.” My hand ran further into his robe, where it stopped at his crotch. At the touch, his expression shifted in a mix of several; it was cute, and I fondled him to see what other reactions he’d have. As his erection grew, his face tensed up more and more; I continued to snuggle my mouth into his neck. His legs wanted to move back up and close so badly, shaking with every motion I made, but he resisted for the sake of the moment, instead putting his hands around my head and petting my hair in an effort to relieve himself of the tension.

 His hot breath drew me back to his face to kiss him yet again, sliding my tongue into his mouth to share the heat he was giving off. He let out quiet sighs of pleasure, embarrassed with each one as his face turned redder. Finally, I began to play with it more, moving the shaft’s skin up and down fast, and his eyes slowly widened yet again. Without his glasses, it was easier to appreciate the beauty of his feminine eyes, flaunting beautiful eyelashes and an innocence that never aged. I stared into them and he stared back into mine, returning my affection however he could with his lips and tongue. I didn’t want him to feel obligated of anything, so I held my kisses back, yet he would push my head back down towards him to continue his love- it filled me with delight.

 “Ahh…” It was hard for him to focus as he neared his climax- his kisses stopped as he turned his head over and moaned, and I moved my hand faster and faster. It looked like this was the most stimulation he ever felt, and his excitement was making him go crazy. I was just as feverish to see his final reaction, turning his head back towards me so I could see his face when it finally throbbed and ejaculated. His pupils went tiny and his mouth opened with a burning exhalation, and breathed loudly as his heart pounded out of his chest.

 I slowly forced every bit of his fluid out of him with a steady vertical motion of my hand. Every time it throbbed, his whole body beat with his heart. He turned his head and looked at me with disbelief at the orgasmic feelings he just embraced, and let it fell back with a slump on the bed, knowing not what to do or say. I looked down at his robe and saw a new stain, but said nothing of it. I did warn him, after all.

 “My my, Lightner,” he said between breaths, “Never have I felt that before… Let me breathe for a moment, please, don’t suffocate me with your love. I thought I was going to die.”

 “Oh, don’t think that,” I said, “At least, if you had to die, I would prefer for it to be out of my love.”

 “That’s oddly flattering, but… Ugh, it feels dirty on me. Is it always like this?”

 “Well, it’s not really supposed to… It cleans off, don’t worry.”

 He grinned, and pulled me close and stopped his breathing with a quick smooch. “I guess I have to service you now,” he said, turning himself over with his head resting on my leg.

 “Wait, don’t force yourself to do this, Ralsei,” I said.

 “No, nothing’s forced… It felt amazing, that experience. I want you to feel the same.” He slowly inserted his hand under my robe the way I did to him, only it was more hesitantly. My skin was cold compared to his, being bare of any hair, but it was smooth against his fur as his arm brushed against my leg. When he felt something, he froze for a moment, as if he didn’t expect anything to be there.

 I lifted my robe so that he could see it for himself, and he gasped- I expected him to say something of blasphemy from what he saw, but he was just surprised to see someone besides himself unclothed, I’m sure. Since we got into bed together, my erection had not gone away, and it shook in delight when he touched it.

 “Up and down, is that it?” he asked, putting a weak grip around it one finger at a time and slowly moving his hand vertically.

 “Yes, but it felt differently for you because you’re inexperienced,” I said, “It would take much longer to make me finish.”

 “Well, how can I make you feel good then? I could lick it, if you want.”

 “Whatever you want, Ralsei.”

 He looked up at me and put a hand to his cheek, shyly smiling. He waited for a moment, building up his mental strength, and he stuck out the tip of his tongue and felt the shaft with it before drawing it back with disgust, “Bleh, it’s weird…”

 “Really, you don’t have to-”

 “No, shush. Just let me do it.” He put his lips over the head and slid his tongue around it, closing his eyes as he inserted it deeper into his mouth, so slowly that I thought he was teasing me with the tingling feeling it made. I set my head back on the bed and closed my own eyes, feeling his ears and petting him. A wonderful warmth came from his body as a static tickle from his fur to my hands- unknowingly, I pushed his head down, and he gasped in worry as his mouth took a majority of my shaft and was penetrated.

 I opened my eyes and let go of him, “S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” He didn’t express any distress though; instead, his eyes remained closed and he continued to move his mouth up and down, along the shaft and to the head. His motions turned more vigorous, with his tongue circulating around in a pattern, enlightening my nerves as the saliva stuck and built up. It was as if he didn’t want to look as he did it, instead putting all of his focus into pleasuring me- he even wrapped his hand around it and stroked the skin like I did for him. As he did, I felt at the fur between his legs, making him cutely squinch. He was not so tall, but his legs were strong, with wide hips that were pleasing to rub.

 I watched him fondly, my heart beating for him ever so dearly. It was a moment of recollection for all the time that we had spent together, leading to this point of embracement, and I wondered to myself how justified my love for him truly was- it was more than something living on the sole desperation for attention that grew over me for years. Rather, it was a lifetime search every soul was lost in, looking for the perfect soul to pair with mine… And, even if Darkners were soulless, which would be disheartening to imagine, I would say that my search was over if I could love Ralsei.

 Then, lost in thought and pleasure, I was holding his head again, and I quickly sat up and held it in place as I thrusted into his mouth on my own, more and more until I suddenly climaxed- his tongue froze in place as it was tainted, shaking in pulse’s beat as the head throbbed onto it. He swallowed instinctively, then expressed instant regret. Not being able to move his back up, he instead turned it and emptied his mouth of my erection, which was barely soft even after such a relief I had not experienced in what felt like an eternity.

 He coughed in disgust, pulling his robe over his mouth. I pulled my hands away and apologized again, feeling embarrassed for doing the same mistake again.

 He didn’t say anything, instead staring at me with a strong blush that made him look even more nervous than me.

 “Ralsei-”

 “Sorry,” he suddenly mumbled, “I-I’m really nervous… It just didn’t taste right, and I didn’t expect it.”

 “No, shush, it was my fault… I don’t know what I was thinking, forcing that upon you.”

 He breathed harshly through his nose and managed a lighthearted smile, “It felt good though, right?”

 I was speechless at his response, and all I could think to do was lean in to take his whole mouth in a kiss- if I was barely suffocating him with my love before, it could surely kill him now. I pulled him on top of me as we flourished in each other’s affection.

 “Ralsei,” I said between kisses, “Forgive me if it is unpleasant, but I can’t resist you.”

 “R-Resist?” I turned his back towards me and rested his weight upon me, and he sputtered, “What is it now?.. L-Lightner?”

 “Just, don’t turn so tense, and we will both enjoy it.” I lowered him slightly and spread his legs, feeling his soft rear. Everything there was to describe of him was delicious, and I craved every inch of his body. My desires were returning to me after being hidden away for so many years. I was helpless to it.

 “What are you doing?.. Is this going to hurt?” he asked.

 “It… Please, Ralsei, just let me do this.” I put one arm under his and over his chest, feeling his chin with my hand, and slowly I inserted myself into his rear. He let out a moan that escalated with pain, trying to close his legs, and I caressed his cheek to comfort him. He said nothing, only in shock as he looked at me with a weak stare and shaky, gaping mouth.

 “Ralsei, do you trust me?” I whispered, holding his face close to mine. He said nothing, instead trying to look down at himself, and I put both my hands to his face and asked again, “Ralsei, do you or not? I won’t go through with this if you don’t… So do you?”

 He exhaled hot breaths, and I said his name once more before he finally gently nodded and whispered back, “I do, Lightner, I do.”

 “Good then,” I said, and I kissed him and held his mouth with mine as I carefully indulged myself with him in love, feeling deeper within him. His eyes widened in a surplus of reactions. His teeth clenched, then his mouth gaped open in a confused mix of ecstasy and shyness. Oh, I just couldn’t contain an ounce of urge in my body. It piled out so quickly and passionately, I lost all regard for his well being, despite what I had just said- to have this connection once again, after all those years in the dark and longing for the slightest bit of friendship, let alone love, was reinvigorating for both my flesh and soul.

 I had determination once again, at last.

 With one more thrust, he finally let out a strong moan, one full of the energy he had been building up in his silence. After such, he repeatedly grunted every time I entered him, his wet tongue coming out of his mouth and enticing me to take it with my mouth. My nose scrunched up against his snout, and his breath leaked out of his nostrils onto my face while we kissed, warming my cheeks.

 I turned his face aside as I moved down to his neck instead, preferring to hear his groans. I felt his chest fur and moved my hand back down to his crotch. He was erect again, and I began to play with it to see his expression and noises intensify.

 “You’re hard again,” I said, “Are you enjoying this as much as I am?”

 “Ahh… I’m just so happy to be embracing someone,” Ralsei said, “Even if it, oh- hurts a little, it’s that it’s something new and different, so… take me as you wish, please.”

 His words made me do everything I could to him: I smothered his neck with kisses, played with his parts, and moved my hips up and down against him. The both of us were exchanging so much heat, I thought I would lose my mind as I neared my limit. I exercised my hand upon him to force his limit to come quickly.

 The adrenaline that fueled me as a drug was turning excessive; my grasp over him strengthened, and my thrusts into him sent short wails of pain out of his mouth. He couldn’t handle this, yet I continued with no thought but pure, amorous desire. I bit on one ear and pulled on the other, dolling him as he heated up to his climax.

 His body curled in anticipation, and my arm held him down as he squirmed. He clawed at my arm playfully and placed a hand over mine which pleasured him so that we moved our hands together- then, as I threw one last thrust into him and spilled myself into him, leaving myself in his depths, he scrunched into a position and let out a gasp in shock, shaking from the fluids.

 “Oh!” Ralsei’s eyes widened and closed repeatedly, “My- My God, it’s…  _ warm _ ! It feels so warm, Lightner, ah…” And then, just after, our hands pushed him to his limit and a mess of his own sprayed over him, from his crotch to his chest. I turned his head towards me and silenced him, his tongue freezing up as I stroked it with mine. His heart was beating so much, I expected it to stop any moment and see him die from such emotion and senses.

 Instead, it began to slow down at last, and he sat there with breaths that grew gentler. I removed myself from his insides, giving him a little shock before he relaxed again. His eyes were barely open, like he could fall asleep at any moment, but it looked as though he was so absorbed in the stare he caught me in, so much that he still had the energy to fondle my tongue as he caressed my mouth, even with the exhaustion that overwhelmed him. I held his snout with both hands to force in one last kiss before I looked away to give myself the breathing room I needed.

 “Goodness,” he said, laying on me like I was a part of the bed, “I feel so weird, but I like it. I can’t tell if it’s happiness or something else.”

 “You’re satisfied,” I said, “I mean, you can be happy all you want. I’m feeling both myself.”

 “Ahh… Lightner…”

 “Yes?”

 “This… This was strange, but thank you.”

 “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to push you so-”

 “No, no, it’s fine. I just said thank you, so shush.” He moved himself over to my side and nuzzled his head under mine, “I love you, Lightner.”

 “I love you, Ralsei.”

 He smiled dearly, “But, uhm…”

 “What is it?”

 “Does this clean off easily?”

 “Yes, yes, of course.

 

 Ralsei had turned far more affectionate now that he felt the freedom to be more open, even trying to seduce me and ask for the same treatment I gave him that night once more, though he was quite awkward about it. There was no wall between words with us now; we were openly lovers to one another, and he was content with me potentially being the only person in his life forever.

 I did love him… Far more than he did, probably, though it was likely only for that first night. Every other time of slumber we would lie in bed to have sex and sleep after, and the intimacy never died. He never caused any penetration of me as I did to him, even though I was open entirely to anything he wanted to do. He always remained shy about doing it, and I believe it came from the fact that he practically didn’t even know how to hug someone.

 There was an issue in my part of the relationship: I was curious of what existed beyond the doors that left Castle Town. From what Ralsei told me, the Dark World was much more than what was here, and I saw no reason to confine us to his home. He was so happy with what his life had turned into, having found not just a new friend but a lover as well, and I was just as much the same, but I desired to know what else there was to find.

 We sat together in the large reading chair by the fire in the great chamber, snuggling together in silence. He rested his head underneath mine, smiling just as much as he always does as he sat with his legs over me under a blanket. I held him in my arms, cradling him to be mine forever.

 “Ralsei,” I said, petting his head, “I want to talk to you about something.”

 “What is it?”

 “Well, I love you so much, firstly. Really, I can’t get enough of you. I’m obsessed with just the fact you exist, but-”

 “ _ But _ ? What did I do? Oh, am I trying too hard?”

 “No, it’s not you at all. There’s nothing wrong with us two specifically, but I want to leave this place.”

 He looked up at me, “You want to go back home?..”

 “No…  _ Ralsei _ , you know what I mean. The rest of the Dark World is out there. We should explore it together, instead of staying here and doing nothing.”

 “Wait, all that… all that time together, you call are calling it nothing?”

 “Oh, goodness. There’s more to embracing love than just that. We can share experiences in other ways.”

 He looked down, unsure of himself, and he sat up and said, “But, Lightner, the Fountain… I’m here for the Fountain. For all I know, you could be the Human of the Prophecy that I was waiting for, and now we simply must wait for the Monster.”

 “Look, that’s just impossible. Monsters won the war. Neither race will ever work together for anything again.”

 “You don’t know that-”

 “No, I do. It can’t happen.”

 “So what are you saying?”

 “I’m saying we should leave here and continue on with life. Did you think I would want to leave the imprisonment I brought upon myself in the underground to stay in one place for the rest of my life again?”

 “No, but…” He turned silent. I moved him off of me and stood up, pacing around the chair.

 “I love you, Ralsei. If anything, I’m at least  _ very _ fond of you… But, no person is strong enough to chain me to one place, let alone a whole race of monsters… Whether it’s out of love or hate, I can’t do it. Come on, let’s leave. Let’s live life, together.”

 I waited for him to respond. His lips only quivered, and he suddenly exhaled worryingly, saying, “Lightner, I can’t. I really can’t.”

 “Why not? Forget this prophecy and be realistic for a moment.”

 “It’s not that.” He stood up and held his robe close to his body, kneeling down by the fireplace. He asked, “Do you remember what I told you about how my life feels like it just suddenly existed?”

 “I do, yes.”

 “Well, with that feeling is also the… The desire to remain here forever. You’re unchained, but I am by my own will. I can’t leave here.”

 I crouched down next to him and put a hand over his cheek, “Is that really how you feel?”

 He nodded innocently, afraid of my response.

 “Ralsei, I don’t have it in me to stay here… I wish I did, really, but… H-Have you ever tried leaving here?”

 “Oh, do you think I haven’t, Lightner? I have stood before that door to leave here for hours at a time before, just desperate… Oh my goodness, so desperate to leave. I don’t want to be here any less than you do, but with you here I’m happy… Lightner, please don’t leave me.” He wrapped his arms around me in a hug and quietly cried.

 Naturally, a mess of guilt came over me, and I put my arms around him the same. I didn’t want to leave him alone myself, but there was only so much two people could share together here. I built up my strength and told him to think about it as I did, and I left to sit with myself in a chamber of my own.

 It was then that I established that something was wrong. This world, even if I have seen so little of it, seemed unreal. The darkness itself was terribly unnatural, and if it served some sort of connection to the world I came from, that connection could have been fake for all I know.

 This is something else, this land. I could still be dreaming, and it is waiting to turn into a nightmare by enslaving me with this guilt Ralsei puts upon me, and I was not willing to go through with any sort of imprisonment again. I was leaving regardless of what he wanted.

 And the first thing I did to rid myself of any potential guilt was undress myself of the robes I fathomed Ralsei for, which led me to find nothing else I could wear but the jester costume I awoke in this world wearing. There was nothing for me to take but my own skin, and I prepared to offer him my farewells when I left my chamber.

 The instant he saw me in my own clothing, my hat in hand, he looked as though he would fall on his knees and bawl- and he did, covering his face with his scarf as he did so. I pulled him back up on his feet and looked at him sincerely.

 “Ralsei, if you truly love me, then you would come with me,” I said.

 “But I-”

 “No. You just don’t then. I may not truly love you myself then, you see, but we would never know if we can’t expand our experiences to discover if that’s the case.”

 He looked back down into his scarf, wiping his tears, and I hugged him, saying, “Look, if you feel it’s so important to stay here, then stay here, because then the Lightners you are waiting for will come and you will have a purpose. If you don’t believe that will happen, then come with me. Make your choice now.”

 He calmed down and wiped his face one last time, then he let himself out of my arms and unwrapped his scarf, placing it in my hands. “I don’t want to be forgotten, so keep this, please.”

 “Are you sure?”

 “Yes, please have it. I have a whole closet full of them anyway.”

 I chuckled, throwing the scarf over my shoulder. We stared, anticipating the other to say their goodbyes, but instead we just came close for one last hug and kiss, exchanging no further words as I left the castle, looking back at him standing with his back facing me, alone and overwhelmed by a darkness unfamiliar to him. It took me all of the world’s strength to let me close the castle doors on him and march onwards.

 

 My departure of Castle Town is a perfect example of the sin that is desire in humans: the lack of satisfaction from what I am already given, despite having been given a miracle of escaping my own world, reminded me of how awful I was as a person, and I had no way to fight that guilt off with reparations except by returning to Ralsei, and that was literally a closed door.

 Past Castle Town was a series of fields, dotted with dreamy trees and covered in a sweet, magenta grass. I was at first distressed by the encounters I had with the Darkners in the area, all appearing like something out of a card game lost in some forgotten place, but soon it was all oddly casual, though none of them seemed to recognize me as a human but just as a “thing,” which I just let stay as a secret.

 Admittedly, I tried to return to Ralsei, having been overwhelmed with guilt after only a few hours of leaving him, but the enormous gate that separated Castle Town from what looked like the rest of the Dark Word was sealed shut. I tried for several long moments to feel around its golden decor that was embedded into it, thinking that I may have locked it unknowingly, but it seemed to have been shut differently, perhaps held by magic. It produced a light warmth, which was alluring yet repelling in its familiarity, and I gave up and left with the choice I had made when I opened it before.

 Yet then, as I traveled through the Dark World, there was something that was off that balance that through the whole land into a tilt: the darkness all around was not really like the shadows cast by light, but instead a nonexistence of anything at all. Above and below, there was nothing, and the Dark World was just a lost planet in a starless space, hopeless of expansion or change. Again, the sense that everything was unreal would come to mind, and just the thought of this all being an aimless dream strained my eyes when I looked upon anything.

 The more I thought about it, the more frustrating it made me, so I did my best to pay no mind to logic. After putting real life’s reasoning past me, I was able to enjoy my experience in the land. There was a strange… thing that I meant. Not an animal, monster, or human, but a doll like creature who was withered and old but charming in his appearance. He introduced himself as Seam, and he said that the King of this end of the Dark World was in need of a court jester, which I looked prepared for. I thought of Ralsei’s words of Lightners such as I giving purpose to Darkners but not so much as returning the favor, and I accepted the offer for the position.

 There wasn’t all that much to say, really. Seam was a friendly pal who worked as the court magician, and he taught me some magic that differed from Ralsei’s practices, being a violent form of telekinesis rather than strengths of healing. When I showed him what I already learned, he only smiled at me and said nothing more of it.

 The King himself was a nice lad, but the Queen was a little unwelcoming. The two of them didn’t seem to like each other, which didn’t seem great for the son they weren’t even raising anyway. The Duke nannied the baby instead, which he said he didn’t mind since “there was nobody to challenge with the work he had in store.” He also said that he thought it was a chance to raise a spade right, whatever that had meant…

 But, I was bored. I had found nothing new- this land was one I had already visited before, long ago. Not as a soldier, not even as an adult. It was as a child. It all felt like the fading remnants of a lost imagination, and the darkness was it disappearing, piece by piece. I could have seen this world in my dreams when I was younger, broken in pieces, but… Somebody else was controlling all of this.

 Where was I? Did my choices matter? Did  _ anything _ matter? I was scared, so scared… So many questions, so few answers, and nobody who understood it. I felt myself losing it, my head forever spinning, spinning as everything stood still like the stone in the earth. I was the only one who knew how worthless everything was- the world, the Darkners, the future, even  _ Ralsei _ … I was just as worthless. And to not relate to anyone of this, to instead tell them they were all fools,  _  fools _ , and I was the genius among them! I was trapped not in just the underground still, not a dream… This was hell, and I was its entertainer.

 With all my willpower and determination gone like a shriveled flower’s remains blowing away with the wind, I lost my grasp over the barrier between reality and imagination. The last memory of what was real that I can recall is being thrown into a jail cell by Seam, but… It was no cell. It  _ is _ no cell. It is my freedom from everyone who testified me. Now I was truly alone,  _ alone _ for all of my own enjoyment. I could not even see what I had become, but I didn’t care. My imagination could take me over and I could be whatever I want, I can  _ do _ anything I want.

 I shaped reality into what I wanted within my cell: something entirely for nothing but my own amusement, to entertain me in this boring world of impending doom. I listened to the echoes above and heard of nothing but future demise: the Queen left as a Knight appeared, and the King spoke of revenge upon the Lightners as a new Dark Fountain opened. I laughed, chuckled, sneered, guffawed- I happily  _ pitied _ the fools, making conflict in a world of make believe. My own world was far superior, and I proudly played alone, alone, alone… alone…

 I still longed to share these experiences, even if it meant cutting myself into two to make a friend. I tried to be happy with my own thoughts, but it could only take me so far- then, I heard footsteps, tips and taps of exploration in descension: a quiet clanking of armor, a heavy stomping of eagerness, and the light steps of a familiar fluffy boy. I looked out of my cell, having retrieved a sense of reality for a moment after years of solitude, and could only think to myself…

 Amazing. He was right.

 I’m not going to admit it, though.


End file.
